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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · current · fork · saw · branch · jam · rush · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rush — hurry
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. current — happening now
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — of water
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. current — electric
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com